Do you ever have one of those days when it feels like what happened yesterday was SOOO long ago? Well, that's how I'm feeling today and it's got my brain all scrambled. I've also been testing out a new method for etching wine glasses that has left me feeling like I've been rolling around in a sand box for a few hours (a "sugar cookie" as my beach volleyball peeps would call it). This new method also requires me to don full facial protection which makes me think that it can't be great for your brain either? Oh well! Basically what I'm trying to say is that, I'm a mess... inside and out today. Therefore, in an effort to feel shiny and clean, I'm going to show you a before and after of something that is just that!
I mentioned in my post about home offices a while back that I had sent a beautiful antique roll top desk that I inherited from a family friend off to be lacquered to match a new look I was going for in my side-room-turned-office in my bedroom at my parents house. Well, the desk returned and I almost didn't even recognize it when it came back. A total transformation of Extreme Makeover proportions! Here are some crappy photos of the desk before I sent it away to "get in shape":
This couple from Craigslist took her out and brought her back all lacquered up! :)
Once I got it back, it looked pretty spectacular but I couldn't get over the feeling that something wasn't right. I finally figured out that the bronze hardware made it look as though it was having trouble letting go of the past and moving into the modern age. Like the shiny fresh coat of lacquer refreshed it but the antique looking hardware was holding it back. (Too much personification?). I didn't take a photo of it at this stage so that you couldn't disagree with me if you thought the bronze hardware looked good ;).
Anyway, I decided to take off the hardware and spray paint it with this gold spray paint that the "DIY before and after" blogger queen, Jenny, recommended as the best gold spray paint in her post, here.
I was also pretty proud of myself for coming up with a super simple and effective method for spray painting these tiny pieces without having to wait for them to dry and then spray paint the other side... The method is called: STYROFOAM! I just stuck them all into a piece of Styrofoam with the fronts facing up and it made it incredibly easy to get an even coat on all sides... Basically my only real contribution to this project :).
After I made sure they were dry I put them back on and WALLAH! The finished product:
Isn't she a beaute! I also had a vintage chair lacquered the same color and am going to get the cushion recovered in a beautiful emerald green linen and put it with the desk in the little office room which will have this black and cream pineapple wallpaper, that I posted about here, covering the walls:
I'm so excited for it to all come together that I can barely stand it! And don't worry, I will be posting the final reveal for you to gawk at once it's all put together, so stay tuned for that!
But for now, I'm off to take a shower and marvel at the softness of my newly exfoliated skin! :)
